That’s the body. 9 days have passed since my crash. PT says parts are working correctly, my pain comes from the impacts. On the whole I have followed a pretty stagnant life allowing healing and reduction in pain. I have moved beyond Tylenol every 6 hours. Yesterday was the first day I exerted myself just hiking Slim and Shades, I carried 1 hiking pole that I used in my right (injured) arm for movement. While not pain free but bearable I learned what my body would give. Encouraging. At the van I liftedthe bike off the JOBOX then pedaled a bit on pavement receiving feedback. Yeah, seemed with my hands on the bar bore weight which lessened pain. NO show stoppers. I  felt comfortable enough to ride today.

Which I did out at Western Gateway. Diesel $4.89 / gal. Chilly with stiff breeze needed wind shell at start. Rode Stirrup, Girdner, Snake, AZ Cypress, Girdner, Axis. I stopped at end of Girdner and gave thought to going further but recall of experience said I should head back.I did well until lifting the front wheel causes barking. Plus 9 days of slouching.

Eye candy.

Friend Steve had arrived when I got back to van. Visiting. Tonight I will attend day 2 of Banff film festival. Socializing cuts this short. Salient point is body works.

Yesterday I drove down to bottom of Lower Red Rock road which is twisty and descends steeply, that driving my Sprinter requires sometimes 2 handed steering, adversely affects my right upper body side. Purpose was to hike up to where I crashed and investigate how I came to be smacked expectantly very hard to the ground.  I drove off right after a PT session on helping my injuries that seemed to make me better. The weather was bluebird and my body needed activity. It was a short 10 min walk. I remembered I was making a right hand bend. I saw a fresh tracks on the outside of the bend, just down hill from it on the left side I saw my shoe sole print. This was the spot.

Scorpion crash

The spot is downhill a ways from the basalt babyheads, back on enjoyable red sandstone. I was thinking how much I enjoyed riding here skill wise. I rode through 3 short turns above,  this one turned right at a harder radius. I outsided on soft dirt for about a bike’s wheelbase then the front wheel hit the stump which put an end to forward motion. I was pitched to the right slammed onto my right side.

While most surface area was soft dirt it was the scattered rocks created pressure points for focused pain.

My take away was again paying attention the entire tire I am balanced on 2 wheels. I had been patting myself for my riding skill. I got a comeuppance.

Yesterday’s PT work shifted to my shoulder, Eric worked affected muscles. I want to say his effort aides in healing and I do believe skilled help will be beneficial. I am expecting immediate results. My body will heal as it is able to.

I take a dose of Tylenol every 6 hours but most times I am late. Today I was 90 mins late and experienced incredible pain break through. No Oxy relieve.

Today was the first day of 3 day Sedona Mountain Bike Festival up at Posse grounds park. Weather forecast was for chill, windy, and precip mid afternoon. Sat is more nasty maybe snow, and Sun is better. I picked today for the better weather. Yesterday I learned the festival had sold 1,200 tickets for paid events, no fee or data collection of open admission attendees. I arrived early  enough for onsite parking. Blustery day, wore my light puffy which after while needed reinforcement. I chatted with Chris at Revel about bikes and frame material, visited with Industry Nine, and Squish a suspension service. Jimmy, formerly of Bike and Bean shared the walk around. Sprinkles started about 2 for me signaled retreat to out of the wind and warmth.

Yesterday afternoon as I drove away from the festival I saw numerous mountain bike riders pedaling back from like Adobe Jack trails. Mountain bike riders are very distinguishable, they stand out. The sheer number of riders visiting Sedona is seen. Recently the Sedona Film festival completed, no idea of viewer numbers but their dress matched the rest of the population, they did not stand out except for a necklace badge.

My shoulder put on a cry for medication. Tylenol works and very quickly, it lessens the pain, I am still in pain.

A chiro visit this morning realigned my neck, I am too tender for full body alignment. PT did not comment on skeletal adjustment. I will ask at Monday’s session.

I have used more medical resources here in Sedona than anywhere else. I have been injured here more than any other place.

Last night I watched Bad Grampa, a Johnny Knoxville movie. I listened to his show on XM, he made the Jackass movies. I knew it would be funny but I was not prepared for places where I laughed so hard caused so much pain. I still chuckle within imposed limit.

Time to head to desert and slower internet.

When a moving object contacts a stationary object of greater size or angle the moving object looses. Is the result a “fall” or “crash” or involuntary get off? Darn science getting in the way of describing what happened to me on Mon during a ride. I was riding Scorpion trail down past the basalt babyheads on  sandstone

when  that physics event occurred, the result left me sprawled on the ground entangled in my bike and right side down on earth. Last thing I remember was my helmeted head smacking onto the ground. I did not get the light show of stars. I laid still for several moments ( seconds or minutes?) sorting out signals from body parts to learn of what my immediate future would be. Pain signals received from pretty much my entire right side. My eyes remained focused. I untangled myself then worked to stand up. I succeeded, so far all necessary parts were functioning. I did range of motion movements paying particular attention to my permanently damaged right shoulder. Whew, my right arm worked although overall much pain. My immediate course of action was to get back to my van. I was almost down to the bottom of Scorpion, I needed to climb out of the creek. I got back on my bike learning that I could still maintain balance and coordination. I coasted the short distance to the Pyramid TH on upper red Rock rd. Getting back out offered choices of pedaling up the pavement, nasty Herkenham, Old Post, or Ridge / Sketch trails. Herkenham was the shortest to pavement but it has many tech challenges. I chose Herk. I was able to pedal sections that did not require taxing upper body strength. I could not completely inflate my lungs because of chest pain upon attempting to inflate. I pushed those parts. I pushed past a spot where I fell my first year here where I impaled pieces of manzanita into my left forearm. I made the pavement then pedaled 89A  into a head wind. Once back at the van the next challenge was lifting my bike onto the rack which would be another test of my damaged body. Success, body performed. Next act was washing myself off and cleaning wounds I could reach. I wanted to be not smelling should my next stop be a hospital. I was able to wipe myself down so I learned that body parts still functioned albeit with pain. SO far I believed I did not need medical care. I drove back to VOC  mostly steering with my left arm. I fixed, ate, and cleaned up dinner. The  left side of my brain hurt. Foremost in my mind was possible cranial bleeding caused by the impact and the effect of the anticoagulants for blood clotting I take, a real possibility. I took Tylenol for pain. Next was getting undressed for bed then lowering my bed. Shit, raising my arm during the lowering hurt but I lowered it. Then getting into bed and positioned was a chore as I could not put weight on my right arm. Then establishing a sleep position that was pain free never happened. I was awake most of the night shifting around seeking comfort. I left the side door unlocked in case I needed to be rescued. Getting out of bed was almost as challenging as getting into it. Next was raising the bed which required both hands to work the pulley system that Lars installed back in 2015 to raise the bed after shoulder repair. Painful. Right arm still working. I dressed then made my way thru breakfast fixings and cleanup. I was very concerned about cranial bleeding and needed professionals to diagnosis. I drove back to Sedona to the ER where I was the only patient in the waiting area. I was whisked into an exam room. The attending D was the same one who saw me back in Jan with my guts issue. He checked me over then ordered a CT scan of my head a torso. Results came back: no bleeding or fractures. Whew, relief. Not even bruising. Treatment was icing, Tylenol, and a script for low dose oxycotin which I am following. I slept better last night and raising the bed this morning was slightly less painful. I am self grounded for the immediate future..

My crash was shorter than sudden. I was letting gravity propel me. The trail has twists and bends, Near as I can recount on a slight right bend my front wheel lost my intended direction then stalled. I did not go over the bars, there was no tuck and roll, it was a smack down. I will return to the site to reconstruct when I am able to drive the twisty road then hike to the spot.

So, did I fall or crash? What name fits?

Earlier in the day I was treated at physical therapy for my right knee. I have PT referrals for my right shoulder, hip, and knee, 3 separate referrals to be used at same clinic. The first referral is for my right shoulder. Eric is the PT who has treated me over the years for the shoulder and other parts. At this session I chose my knee treatment, the results were apparent during riding afterwards. My next appointment is this Thurs with now focusing on my shoulder.

Monday I drove up to cultural park for a western gateway ramble that I sort of figures a ride solo. Doug showed up before I started and I told him of my idea. He asked if he could join, I said yes even as I wanted to ride my ride my way. Previously I led Doug on several of social trails where I would be and he had explored the area on his own. Between us we kinda sort of figured out many of the cross country trails. Once on those trails we recounted our understanding of where those trails would take us. These nonsystem trails are well laid out and sustainable. Enjoyable ride and route selection for riding Axis to climb out of Dry Creek. I GPS what I ride, out there I have many tracks composed of system and cross country trails. The GS map I use is too old to show the newer system trails. I would like to overlay my tracks on current system trails.

Sat was a volunteer trails work day. Short story was building an alt line bypassing a difficult armored descent or climb, depending upon which direction ridden, on Llama. The dirt had moisture that made for easy digging. Haven’t ridden it yet. Cool solution that preserved the original line while offering a tech solution. I have never climbed that piece, descending it required focus and courage.

On Monday Ian grabbed me for a late afternoon ride out at Turkey Creek, he drove us out to our start point eliminating about 3 miles of road pedaling each way.

Weather system on Mon night into Tues dropped precip, a mix of snow and rain. I allowed the trails to dry out until Sunday.

Sedona Mtn Bike festival this weekend.

The devil made me do it the first time, the second time I did it on my own.